We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cody Sabo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Cody, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

My first clients were a charming couple in Austin, Texas. At the time, I was in my senior year of college, building my portfolio and laying the foundation for my design business. Their project was a significant undertaking; a full remodel of a 1,900 sq. ft. single-story home. They wanted everything redone, from new flooring and a reimagined kitchen to fresh wallpaper and more.

I was thrilled to finally have a project of my own, separate from my internship with my incredible mentor and now dear friend, Jessica Love of Urbane Design. This project was the one that truly shaped me. It taught me invaluable lessons—some that deepened my love for design and others that revealed its challenges. While my clients were absolutely wonderful (the “love” part of the experience), the contractor made the process incredibly difficult for all of us.

In the end, it was a pivotal moment in my career. The project became my first major financial milestone, allowing me to invest in marketing and resources that helped bring me to where I am today.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Northeast Texas native who later found a home in Austin, where I met my now husband and launched my career. Born and raised in a rural area just east of Dallas, I was taught the value of hard work and encouraged to pursue a practical career, one that used my hands but remained realistic. A creative path was never truly an option growing up, so I initially found myself in retail management.

Climbing the corporate ladder in retail, I gained valuable skills and insights but never felt truly fulfilled. While working in store planning, I developed a deep interest in design and the psychology behind how individuals interact with their environments. This passion ultimately led me to return to school and earn my degree in Interior Design.

I am particularly fascinated by the psychological aspect of design, as I believe it forms the foundation of our industry and shapes space in its entirety. Understanding how people react, function, and engage with materials and elements within a space is what drives our approach. This knowledge allows us to create beautiful spaces that are intentional, meaningful, and deeply personal, setting us apart from those who focus solely on aesthetics.

We offer full-service interior design, specializing in new construction, remodeling, and custom furnishings. While our primary focus is on high-end residential and small commercial projects, we also have experience in large-scale commercial spaces, including workspaces and hospitality.

Integrity is at the core of everything we do. We always prioritize our client’s best interests, understanding that they trust us to create spaces that are both exceptional and uniquely theirs. Our goal is to push boundaries, breakthrough creative barriers, and craft interiors that tell a story. Our signature aesthetic is timeless, designed to evolve gracefully with time, beyond fleeting trends.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When we moved back home to Northeast Texas after being away for 12 years, I knew we couldn’t immediately bring the luxury interior design we had established while living in Austin and Dallas. For the first three years, we had to adjust our pricing and shift our focus to a different style. At times, it felt like we were starting over, which felt like a setback in my career.

Now, we’ve regained our luxury clientele, rebuilt a great team, and restored our revenue to where it once was. This experience taught me that sometimes, you have to pivot temporarily in order to make big moves in your career.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

This is a topic we love to talk about. Haus of Sabo has always taken pride in being a debt-free studio. We have never taken out a loan or received any type of funding to grow our business. While this approach has certainly been stressful at times and may have made our journey longer, we believe it’s important to show new business owners that success is possible without external financial support. Grit and determination are key to building something truly sustainable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hausofsabo.com/
• Instagram: hausofsabo
• Facebook: hausofsabo

Image Credits

Chads Media LLC